During well drilling operations both on shore and off drillers are constantly plagued with controlling the direction of the drill bit on its course to the target area. It is not uncommon for drilling rigs to be some two to twelve thousand feet from the platform and even with the utmost in planning and testing the drill bit can laterally drift from its intended direction. The success or failure of a drilling operation can depend on a relative few feet of accuracy and due to the soaring cost to companies over the past several years for exploration, on-target drilling accuracy remains a top priority.
The lateral drift of a drill bit can be caused by various factors including the torque of the drill bit as it rotates, the density or structure of the particular stratum and other factors which can create problems for the driller.
Various methods and devices have been utilized in the past to compensate for the sidelong movement of the drill bit, but none have proved satisfactory under a variety of adverse conditions and their benefits have often been less than satisfactory.
With this background in mind, the present device and method were developed and one of the main objectives is to insure accuracy in directing the drill bit to its intended target area.
Another objective of the present invention is to positively counteract the lateral drift which occurs during well drilling operations.
Still another objective of the present invention is to provide a device and method which is economical to construct and use and which will work in various types of bed formations.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device which will give positive guidance to a drill bit even during the encounter of viscid substances.
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide a method of drill bit guidance which can easily be learned by drillers in a relatively short time.